Weight attachment for vehicles



Sept, 30, 1958 c. H. DOXTATOR 2,354,247

WEIGHT ATTACHMENT FOR VEHICLES Filed March 7, 1955 Charles H. OaxfaforINVEN TOR.

Unite States atent 2,854,247 Patented Sept. 30, 1958 WEIGHT ATTACHMENTFOR VEHICLES Charles H. Doxtator, Detroit, Mich.

Application March 7, 1955, Serial No. 492,355

1 Claim. (Cl. 280-406) This invention relates in general to new anduseful improvements in attachments for vehicles, and more specifically aweight attachment for vehicles for effecting the balancing of vehicles.

In order to attain effective control of a vehicle, the weight thereofmust be relatively equally distributed on all four wheels. However, therecent designs of automobiles has been such that a majority of theWeight is placed on the front wheels. This is due particularly to theamount of overhang in the front, including the positioning of a majorportion of the engine forwardly of the front axle line.

It is therefore the primary object of this invention to provide asuitable attachment for a vehicle which when mounted on a vehicle can sobalance the weight of the vehicle so that equal weights are applied tothe front and rear wheels.

Another object of this invention is to provide a weight attachment forvehicles, the weight attachment being of such a nature whereby it may beeasily positioned between frame rails of frames of existing vehicles andreadily secured thereto so as to readily increase the weight of thevehicle at the rear thereof, thereby placing equal weight upon the frontand rear Wheels.

A further object of this invention is to provide a balancing weightassembly for a vehicle which is formed of a plurality of individualweight bars having suitable mounting flanges at opposite ends thereoffor reception in and securement to frame rails of a vehicle frame, thebars being separately mounted in order that the added weight to avehicle may be varied as desired.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing bad to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective View of a rear portion of avehicle chassis and shows the frame thereof having mounted between theframe rails adjacent the rear axle a plurality of vehicle balancingweights which are the subject of this invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan view of the rear portion ofthe vehicle frame with the rear axle assembly being omitted andintermediate portions of the balancing Weights being broken away, aportion of one of the frame rails also being broken away in order toshow the connection between one of the balancing weights and the framerail;

Figure 3 is an enlarged side elevational view of that portion of thevehicle frame illustrated in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a transverse horizontal sectional View taken substantiallyupon the plane indicated by the section line 44- of Figure 3 and showsthe relationship between ends of the balancing weights and the framerails, an intermediate portion of the bars of the balancing weightsbeing broken away;

Figure 5 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the balancingweights; and

Figure 6 is a perspective view on a reduced scale showing a vehicle ofthe general type in which the present invention is incorporated.

Referring first to Figure 6 of the drawings, there is illustrated atypical type of vehicle employing the present invention. The vehicle isreferred to in general by the reference numeral 44} and includes aconventional front Wheel assembly 42 and a conventional rear Wheelassembly 20. The vehicle 40, in its originally designed condition, has amajor portion of its weight distributed to the front Wheel assembly 42.

Referring now to Figure l in particular, it will be seen that there isillustrated a rear portion of a frame of the vehicle 40 which frame isreferred to in general by reference numeral Iii. The frame Ill includesa pair of frame rails 12 which may have the free ends thereof connectedtogether by a rear transverse frame member 14. An intermediate reartransverse frame member 16 also extends between the frame rails 12 whichhave forward portions thereof connected by suitable X-bracing 1'8.Mounted with respect to the frame 12 is the rear wheel assembly 20. Theframe rails 12 are upwardly bowed rearwardly of the X-bracing 18 toprovide clearance for the rear wheel assembly 20.

In order to increase the weight applied to the rear wheels of thevehicle 49, there is disposed between the frame rails 12 in the vicinityof the rear Wheel assembly 20 a plurality of vehicle balancing weightswhich are referred to in general by the reference numeral 22. As i bestillustrated in Figure 5, each vehicle balancing weight 22 includes acentral bar 24 which is formed of a relatively heavy material, such ascast iron or steel, so as to be very heavy. The ends of the bars 24 areprovided with mounting flanges 26 having suitable holes 28 formedtherein.

When it is desired to weight a frame, such as the frame 10, thebalancing weights 22 are slipped in between the frame rails 12 of suchframe, as is best illustrated in Figures 2, 3 and 4, the upwardly bowedportions of the frame rails 12 being illustrated as being channel-shapedalthough the design of the frame it may vary. The balancing weights 22are then adjusted with respect to the frame in the rear portion thereofin order to obtain the desired distribution of weight on all of thewheels of such vehicle. Once this has been accomplished, suitable holesare formed in the frame rails, and the rivets, such as the rivets 30, orother fasteners are used to secure the mounting flanges 22 to the framerails 12.

Inasmuch as the balancing weights 2?. are individually mounted, it willbe readily apparent that they may be shifted as is necessary in mountingthem in the vehicle frame, and the number of the balancing weights maybe varied as desired in order to obtain the desired distribution ofweight on vehicles of various models. By properly applying the balancingweights 22, the weight of the vehicle may be equally distributed uponthe four wheels and the stability of the vehicle during drivingoperations will be greatly increased.

It is to be understood that Whenever there is made reference to theweight of the vehicle 4t), this Weight is that of the vehicle 40 lessdriver and passengers.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling within the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

In a motor vehicle of the type including front and rear wheel assembliesand wherein the weight of the motor vehicle normally would be unequallydistributed on said front and rear wheel assemblies being carried 'bysaid frame in frame supporting relation, said frame com- 'rear axleunits, said frame, in addition to the foregoing,

having balancing weights, said balancing weights each being in the formof an elongated solid bar of heavy material and having mounting flangesfixed to opposite'ends of said bar, said bars being disposed in spacedparallel relation and extending transversely of said frame between saidupwardly bowed rear frame rail portionsand forming part of andrigidifying said frame, at least said upwardly bowed rear frame railportions being of opposed channel-shaped cross section, said mountingflanges being positioned within said frame rail portions and securedthereto, the position and weight of said balancing Weights being such soas to change the weight distribution of the vehicle to equallydistributethe weight of the vehicle on said front and rear wheel assemblies.

References Cited'in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSKendzia 'Feb. 1, 1955

